Rural mail box



A. H. HABIGH'ORST Se t-18,1928;

I RURAL MAIL BOX Filed June 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 23 g; fizz a? Sept 18, 1928.. 1,684,823

' A. H. HABIGHORST- RURAL MAIL BOX Filed June 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES AUGUST H. HABIGHORST, OF MARINETTE, WISCONSIN.

RURAL MAIL BOX.

Application filed June 6,

This invention relates to mail boxes, and is particularly directed to a rural mail box.

Objects of this invention are to provide a rural mail box which may be manipulated by a postman without removing his gloves to either insert mail or remove mail from thebox, or to receive money for stamps or other purposes, which the owner has left in thebox, all of these operations being performed with the utmost ease by a gloved hand.

Further objects are to providca novel term of rural mailbox which is spring closed and may be retained in open position temporarily by means of a readily releasable latch positioned adjacent the manipulating handle of the door and to associate with the mail box a signal means that it may be operated either by the user orby the postman to indicate the presence of mail within the box, such signal means being related to theautomatic closing mechanism in a manner to permit its withdrawal when the box is open to thereby hide the signal.

Further objects areto'prov'ide a novel form of rural mail box in which themechanism is housed in a manner to prevent damage from the weather, and also to prevent engagement of the mail matter with the mechanism so that the operator is assured of a free and easy action of the apparatus at all times, and to provide an upper and lower door so related to the mechanism of the mail box that the doors are always closed with the lower edge of the upper door overlapping the upper edgeof the lower door. A

Further objects are to providea mail box having the characteristics enumerated above which nevertheless is simple in construction and may be cheaply made.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of the mail box, such View corresponding to a section on the line 11 of Figure 3 and showing the box in closed position with the signal displayed;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 taken on the line 22 of Figure 3 showing the box in open position and the signal withdrawn;

Figure 3 is a front View of the box with the doors opened outwardly and with parts broken away and in section;

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 44 of Figure 2. r I

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen 192?. Serial No. 196L851.

that the mail box comprises a housing or cas ing 1 having a pair of front openings "normally closed by means of a lower door 2 and an upper door 3. The lower door 2 is preferably urged towards closed position by means of the coil springs 1 (see Figure 1). The lower do'or, itw'ill be noted, is hinged upon the pintle pin 5 adjacent its lower end and the upper door is hinged upon the pintle pin 6 adjacent its upper end. The lower door is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting lugs? which are connected by means of links 8 with the long arms of levers 9. These levers are housed at opposite sides of the casing and are separated from the main body of the casingbymeans of the walls 10 (see Figure 4) The levers 9 are connected by means of short links 11 with levers 12. The levers 12 project upwardly and are connectedby means of links 18 with lugs 14 projecting inwardly from the upper door 3. These levers 12 also project downwardly to provide a curved cam-like surface 15 for a purpose hereinafter to appear. A signal memberin the form of a colored metal disc 16 is provided and carried by a pair of inwardly projecting fasteners'or guiding pins 17 as shown in Figures 1, 2, and t. These pins ride within a slot 18 formed inan elongated projecting arm rigid with the signal disc or member 16. Further, the signal member is provided with an inwardly turned terminal portion 19 arranged in the path of movement of the curved part 15 of the lever 12 so that when the lever 12 is rocked in a direction to move its lower portion rear- 'wardly, the signal member is retracted through the slot 20 into the casing. This signal member is also provided with a projecting lip or tongue 21 whereby it may be withdrawn when the box is closed.

The lower door 2 is provided with a loop or handle 22 on its outer side and is provided with a spring pressed catch 23 adapted to engage beneath a projecting portion 24 carried by the casing when the doors are open to thus temporarily retain the doors in open position. This latch is provided with a ma nipulating handle or extension 25 positioned adjacent the handle 22, so that the operator may freely trip the latch at the same time that he grasps the handle.

Further, it is tobe noted'that the lower door 2 is provided with upstanding curved spring arms 26 between which letters or out going mail, as indicated at 27 in Figure 2,

may be positioned. 1

The casing is divided into an'upper and lower compartment by means of an intermediate floor or panel 28 (see Figure 3). This plate or panel is provided with a. slot 29 and with a coin receiving hopper 30. The slot 29 is normally closed by a plate 31 drawn inwardly by means of atension sprin 32. This plateis provided with an elongated slot 33 guided by rivets or pins 34. It is also provided with a downturned lip 35.

In using the mail box, the owner deposits the outgoing mail between the spring clips 26 or else if it is a relatively larger package,

puts it in one or. the other of the two compartments of the main casing. He trips the catch 23 to release the doors and allows them to close, such doors closing simultaneously through the action of the springs 4 and thelink and lever mechanism described, with the upper door 3 overlapping the lower door 2. He thereafter-catches the ear or tongue 21 of the signal discand draws the signal-outwardly into the position shown in Figure 1. When the mailman arrives, he catches the handle 22 of the lower door and pulls such door downwardly, the catch retaining the doors in extended position.- He is thus enabled to reachinto either of the compartments or remove the letter from the'spring clips 26. During this operation of opening the doors, the signal deviceis retracted and housed out of sight. If he has mail to leave, he deposits it within the box and closes th doors by tripping the latch 23.

It is to be particularly noted that the signal device is automatically retracted whenever the box is opened so that a false signal cannot be given, as it is necessary to manually drawout the signal after the box is closed.

If the user desired to leave money for the mailman he deposits it Within the hopper 30. Thereafter, the mailman, without removing his gloves, may slip his hand beneath the slide 31 and move his hand laterally, thus engagingthe downturned tongue or flange 35 of the slide. He thus moves this'slide sidewise until the slot 33 registers with the slot 29, at which time the coin deposited in the an easily removed condition.

It is to be noted also that all of the mechanism is housed so that it cannot freeze from exposure to rain and intense cold. Thus, all portions of the box are freely manipulable even under extreme weather conditions.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limitin as the invention may be variously embodiec and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

1. A mail box comprising a main casing, a door hingedly mounted thereon and spring urged towards closed position, a catch for temporarily holding said door in open position, a signal device adapted to be manually moved outwardly from said casing, and means connected with said door for retracting said signal device when said door is opened. i

2. A mail box comprising a main casing, a door hingedly oined thereto, a spring urging said door towardsclosedposition, a'sec- 0nd door opening into said mail box, levers connecting said doors, and a latch for restraining said first mentioned door against motion, and a signal device cooperating with said levers and adapted to be automatically withdrawn when said doors are opened. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing'I have hereunto set my hand at Marinette, in the county of Marinette and State of Wis= consin.

AUGUSTJH. HABIGHORST, 

